Among social conditions that may be assumed to place children at high risk for the development of mental health problems is the child's lack or loss of stable and supportive parenting. When the reasons for inadequate parenting are themselves indicative of psychological problems of the parents, risk for the child is compounded. This is a study of psychological consequences for children whose mothers are imprisoned, a situation placing children at risk for problems. Children are confronted with separation from mother who is defined as "bad" and needing punishment, disrupted living arrangements, and economic disadvantages. Relationships maintained during mother's incarceration, and children's affective and social behaviors are studied in 80 to 100 families. Selection of variables is based on findings regarding the effects of parent-child separations on children's development. Community living single-parented families, comparable racially (Black) and socio-economically, are also studied. Data are diary records, individual tests and observations of mother-mother, mother-child, and child-child interactions in controlled situations.